A Victory Service to honor the life and legacy of Iona Gehrls, age 97, of Okabena, will be held Friday, May 16th at 10:30 AM at the St. John's Lutheran Church in Okabena. Burial will be in the church cemetery in rural Okabena.

A visitation for Iona will be held Thursday, May 15th from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at the St. John's Lutheran Church in Okabena. Visitation will continue Friday at the church in Okabena for one hour prior to the service, from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM. The service will be live streamed on the St. John's Lutheran Church YouTube channel.

Iona Gehrls passed away peacefully on Sunday afternoon May 11th at Lakeview Assisted Living in Heron Lake.

Iona May (Grein) Gehrls was born on December 23, 1927, to the late Henry and Lily (Vestweber) Grein in Rost Township, Jackson County, Minnesota. She was baptized on January 15, 1928, at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Lakefield, Minnesota and later confirmed in the same church on April 6, 1941. Her confirmation verse was John 3:16.

Iona attended country school in District 81 from 1932-1937, Immanuel Parochial School from 1937-1941 and Lakefield High School from 1941-1945. Iona worked as a bookkeeper in the Land O' Lakes plant in Lakefield after graduating.

On October 5, 1947, Iona was united in marriage to Merlyn "Kelly" Gehrls. After marriage, she worked as a bookkeeper in the Okabena Elevator and Oil Company from 1947-1950. They farmed in Springfield Township from 1953-1955 and West Heron Lake Township from 1956-1987. In 1987, they moved to Okabena.

In May of 2015, Merlyn passed away. After his death, Iona continued to live in Okabena until becoming a resident of the Pineview Assisted Living in Windom before moving to Lakeview Assisted Living in Heron Lake where she passed away peacefully, May 11th, 2025, at the age of 97 years.

Iona was a longtime, dedicated member of the St. John's Lutheran Church in Okabena where she taught Sunday School and release time classes and was a member of the Ladies' Aid. She also was a volunteer for the Christian Day School.

Iona and Merlyn had many enjoyments in life which included, traveling, trips were to the Holy Land, Egypt, Athens, Rome, Germany, Alaska and Hawaii; making ceramics in her own kiln; raising many pullets over several years; along with being an avid bowler.

Iona is survived by her three children, Arnold (Teresa) Gehrls of East Bethel; Joan (Dan) Schafer of Rosemount; Jill (Larry) Liepold of Okabena; 10 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren and one on the way; brother-in-law, Fred Kelly of McMinnville, OR; and many nieces and nephews.

Iona is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Merlyn Gehrls; 2 sisters, Pearl Swanson and Caroleen Kelly; 5 brothers, Arnold, Earl, Vernon, Dale and Melvin Grein.

Blessed be the memory of Iona May Gehrls.